Balkan Bucket Bonanza

[hairnet]

im doing exactly the same  - looking at daft.ie and sherryfitz and putting in 40k euro and seeing what comes out

 

anything vaguely habitable is on the list

 

ps WTF at urbo sport lada - looks knackered but is on gas

 

ps throw me some modern lada mobile.bg action please

[garethj]

There's enough space there for a helicopter pad, can you dig out some massive forgotten Russian helicopter and start your Eastern Bloc - UK chod import export business?

[garethj]

Check out the infotainment system, top left!

 

 

[TataBobu]

ps throw me some modern lada mobile.bg action please

 

I think cars.bg has a good enough selection. Here's what's listed right now, starting of course at the cheapest:

 

http://www.cars.bg/?go=cars&search=1&advanced=&fromhomeu=1&publishedTime=0&filterOrderBy=2&showPrice=&autotype=1&stateId=1&filterOrderBy1=2&showPrice1=0&publishedTime1=0&brandId=40&modelId=0&yearFrom=&yearTo=&priceFrom=&priceTo=&currencyId=1&regionId=0&cityId=0&conditionId=1&photos=&barter=0&dcredit=0&leasing=0&fuelId=0&gearId=0&usageId=0&steering_weel=&categoryId=0&offerFrom1=1&offerFrom2=1&offerFrom3=0&offerFrom4=1&brandBusId=&modelBusId=&doorId=0&manual_price=&man_priceFrom=&man_priceTo=

[hairnet]

how fucked is the 1600 lada

 

600 lev is 200 quid

 

??montana???

 

yeah right

[Taff]

 

Check out the infotainment system, top left!

 

 

 

that sales graph is brilliant.

 

Bucketman, top posts as ever. Can't speak for the others but it's inspiring stuff, thank you

[Bucketeer]

Is there some kind of chod exchange that could be done between there and the UK, a truck going over with some marginal MoT fail cars and coming back with a Skoda and Lada Niva?

I am definitely working on that.

At the moment I'm thinking mopeds/scooters/bikes to UK and LHD car back to BG.

 

 

This is just the BEST thread.

It's a (too) bold shout. What about all the 'what does your car smell like?' and 'if your car was a potato, how would you cook it?' kind of threads? STRONG COMPETITION.

 

 

im doing exactly the same  - looking at daft.ie and sherryfitz and putting in 40k euro and seeing what comes out

 

anything vaguely habitable is on the list

 

ps WTF at urbo sport lada - looks knackered but is on gas

 

ps throw me some modern lada mobile.bg action please

House and car information is very much forthcoming for you.

 

 

Can't speak for the others but it's inspiring stuff, thank you

I first read that as 'insipid' rather than 'inspired'. Both work.

I am definitely feeling less than inspiring, I really need to crack on with traveling the rest of the world rather than fannying about in Bulgaria.

Lady_Bucket and I have amicably and mutually agreed last night that she doesn't like me anymore so that's one 'obstacle' to travel resumption out of the way.

 

Aaaaand relax, it's spots time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

320_touring liked a Toledo in a previous post. Here's two more.

 

The building above is the main art museum in Veliko Tarnovo and also officially The Bulgarian National Museum of Art. I've been here nearly two years in total and I've still never been inside. As soon as you approach, the 'guardian' lady runs inside and locks the door - every time. Local museum for local people.

 

I spotted this proper old communist slide today. I love the way it is pointed straight at a tree trunk.

 

More today spots.

 

 

 

 

Also, last night I went to a Scandinavian art exhibition in town. To be honest, the art was minimal but I got to explore (drunkenly and illegally) the out of bounds parts of the main library.

 

All the best bits of the communist buildings are the 'hidden from public' bits.

 

 

 

And in 'the picture that gave the thread it's name'. What fruit/veg/alien egg is this?

Ex_Lady_Bucket found it the other day whilst we were out in the woods.

 

Shit update I know, but I'm a bit busy trying to find somewhere with a roof to live.

C U L8ER.

[Tayne]

Its an Osage Orange.

Don't eat it though, only the seeds are ok for human consumption.

[Junkman]

Shit update I know, but I'm a bit busy trying to find somewhere with a roof to live.

Your house plus an old lorry tarpaulin = somewhere with a roof to live.

[hairnet]

buy estate chod - kip in estate chod

[KruJoe]

Sorry to hear of your loss of digs and companion Alex. You'll always have Autoshite though. Upwards!

 

Civic Shuttle 4WD for me please this week.

[Bucketeer]

I'm back in the UK for a fortnight so I've got a few rubbish pictures to dispose of from the last couple of weeks in Bulgaria.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One for the 'cars and girls' thread?

 

 

 

Anybody know what this is/was? It's really chapping my arse, I should know what it is but I don't.

 

 

And for double or quits, what is this?

 

 

 

On the walk from the bus station to Sofia Airport I planned to visit the abandoned Sofia Cars showroom that Tayne first found a year or two back. To see, nevermind own a Sofia Type B is a dream of mine but unfortunately it was dark and cold and I hadn't memorised his directions properly. I WILL find the place when I return next week.

In the meantime, if anybody missed it, they featured in Tayne's excellent Bulgarian Car Production thread.

http://autoshite.com/topic/16030-bulgarian-car-production/

 

I did manage a couple of spots on my stroll to the airport but the night-time was not my camera's friend.

 

 

 

 

If you think they were bad, most of my attempted pre-sunrise spots looked like this.

 

One from after sun-rise, in Sofia Airport car park.

 

And a couple from this week in the North of England.

 

 

That's about it for now. I fly back to Bulgaria at 3am on the 1st of Jan, can't wait.

I've also got a little Macedonia and Albania hitchhiking/walking visit planned for January so hopefully some decent spots will come from that.

 

In the meantime, happy season and merry palaver to one and all.

[SiC]

Just read through the whole thread. Fascinating! Loved the mix of travels, reality of travels, life and shite cars.

 

Loved to do a bit of travelling, but old life got in the way. But being nearly/only 30, I guess I still have time on my side?

[Junkman]

 

Opel E Rekord/C Commodore, I think.

[Bucketeer]

Loved to do a bit of travelling, but old life got in the way. But being nearly/only 30, I guess I still have time on my side?

 

I was 36 and had seen nothing and been nowhere when I decided to sack off the old life and start the new one. There is always time.

[Dave_Q]

... Anyway, enough house waffle. It's exciting for me, but only me I reckon.

 

I think there would be many people interested in hearing about progress on the house there.

 

Suggested thread title - Grand Designs: a house for less than £1000 all in.

[Bucketeer]

I think I'll start a thread up when I start work on the place in earnest, which is likely to be early spring as it'll be around -10C when I get back and the talk is of a right cold Jan and Feb like three winters ago when it got down to -26C where I was.

Also I'm hoping it's going to be more like £500 all in, but who knows.

 

I never imagined I'd have my own house, never mind one in Bulgaria, but you can get so much for so little here. 5,000 Euro gives you a wide property pool to choose from.

As an example, here's a couple of randoms I just grabbed from the first property site I looked at.

 

4,000 Euro

http://www.stara-planina.com/property_details.php?prop_id=3717&page=8&dr=&r=&l=&t=

 

 

5,000 Euro

http://www.stara-planina.com/property_details.php?prop_id=3606&page=7&dr=&r=&l=&t=

[SiC]

I think I'll start a thread up when I start work on the place in earnest, which is likely to be early spring as it'll be around -10C when I get back and the talk is of a right cold Jan and Feb like three winters ago when it got down to -26C where I was.

Also I'm hoping it's going to be more like £500 all in, but who knows.

 

I never imagined I'd have my own house, never mind one in Bulgaria, but you can get so much for so little here. 5,000 Euro gives you a wide property pool to choose from.

As an example, here's a couple of randoms I just grabbed from the first property site I looked at.

 

4,000 Euro

http://www.stara-planina.com/property_details.php?prop_id=3717&page=8&dr=&r=&l=&t=

 

 

5,000 Euro

http://www.stara-planina.com/property_details.php?prop_id=3606&page=7&dr=&r=&l=&t=

Christ. What does the average UK house price of £190k get you?

[hairnet]

190k ya flash git

 

what does even 20-25k get??

 

farkin ell

[Bucketeer]

The last month or so has been a bit rubbish. The day before I was supposed to fly back to BG, my bag containing money, ticket, passport etc was pinched. I've also had an enforced 're-assessment' of my living situation since coming back East. Every cloud has a silver lining though. You can't appreciate the good times without experiencing bad times. It's all swings and roundabouts. Or something.

 

 

Aaaaanyway, I'm going to start big with the spots to cover up the fact that all the rest of them are a bit lacklustre.

 

One of my 'holy grail' spots was achieved the other day. There are absolutely huggins of Mk2 Astras and Belmonts over here but I had still never seen a Daewoo Racer equivalent until . . . . . . . .

 

 

 

 

You can relax now, it's all downhill from here.

Have some snowy spots from when it was snowy. If nothing else it'll use a bit of time so you can avoid - [doing some work/talking to a loved one/contemplating the global financial situation/worming the dog/whatevs].

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Niva needs a big sombrero on the roof to go with the wheel arch 'taches.

 

 

 

 

 

I've mentioned and papped the binmen in their UAZ mountain goats before and in snowy times they use the same trucks to 'grit' the roads. Just fill the back with sand and a few guys with shovels and  analogue road 'gritting' is achieved. Have a terrible long distance photo to illustrate this.

 

 

They do the same for the main road through town but use the big ZIL trucks instead.

The terrain and little cobbledy roads round this part of town (all built on steep hillsides/cliffs) really limit the type of vehicle they can use.

 

 

I did try to get up to my ruin in the hills but this was the state of the only road and I didn't really fancy 20kms of snow wading.

 

 

Lagunas seem to be 'on trend' at the moment. I like to imagine that this one is used solely as a porch to the house. Open drivers door, wipe feet on centre console and enter the house via the passenger door.

 

 

 

 

Chrome arched beige Lada.

 

 

A Kia Delta is a new one on me. Check out the cute little spindly wheels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I got given a bike in exchange for one of the bits of furniture I make. This is the third bike I have been given since I set off traveling.

 

 

Collecting the bike gave me opportunity to pass by the Volvo graveyard on the way back. A few of the exhibits seem to have disappeared since the last time I was here.

 

 

And that's about it.

TTFN from BG.

 

[KruJoe]

More top spottery, Alex. That Kia Delta is new to me too, a strange one. It doesn't look like a Rio saloon or anything I recognise.

And I had a lol at the funny backwards tractor, ta!

 

Would you care to show us some of the furniture you make?

[cms206]

More top spottery, Alex. That Kia Delta is new to me too, a strange one. It doesn't look like a Rio saloon or anything I recognise.

And I had a lol at the funny backwards tractor, ta!

 

Would you care to show us some of the furniture you make?

The Kia Delta appears to be another name for the Kia Avella; like the Pride before it, it was Ford Festiva based (although thia time second generation) with Mazda B3/B5 engines. The saloon was a Kia only model as far as I can see but was only exported to a handful of markets.

[Jon]

Seconded on the backwards tractor; I'm trying to work out where the engine is, if it has one, or is it carted around by a bevy of very strong horses? I'm not sure if that's still a thing in Bulgaria but assume is was as it was still the conveyance of choice of the rag 'n bone man in Sunderland, last time I visited.

 

Picks this time are the pretty scene of the Lancer and 405 in snow (sunlight is very nice in that one) and also the gold R11 with R9 lights and grille, which looks very wrong, much like those continental Sierra Sapphires with the hatchback/estate bonnets.

[Tayne]

Is Veliko Tarnovo your neck of the woods, Bucketman?

 

I think I drove through there when I left Shipka.

 

For those of you who don't know what Shipka looks like in cyrillic...

 

Shipka par Tayne, on ipernity

[Bucketeer]

For the unlucky few who still read this thread of bilge, have a special bonus prize reward spot.

This was sent to me this very day by one of my sub-spotters. It was captured earlier in the week in quite nearby Burgas, sporting Russian plates.

 

 

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE FASTEN YOUR SAFETY BELTS AND PREPARE FOR TAKE OFF.

 

 

ANYBODY WHO HAS JUST EATEN OR IS OF A NERVOUS DISPOSITION, PLEASE DO NOT CONTINUE.

 

 

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've lovingly* bestowed 20 pages of spots so far and quite possibly the best one was papped by someone else.

I'm getting my coat.

[Dave_Q]

Cinderellas carriage clearly got stuck halfway when turning back to a pumpkin.

 

The quality of the finish on it is pretty good suggesting someone with cash to waste commissioned at least a semi competant bodyshop to make it.

[panhard65]

That really is horrid !! Well done, your friend deserves a virtual pint for finding that thing. Based on a PT Crusier if I am not mistaken. I thought there was no way anyone could make a PT even worse than the mobile Elvis shrines that rock up at car shows over here, but this proves that it is possible.

[Bucketeer]

^^^^ My thoughts exactly. I had presumed the PT Cruiser depths had been well and truly plumbed but this is a whole new level.

 

Is there actually anyone who wouldn't feel dirty and ashamed turning up on their wedding day (or any day) in this.

[Junkman]

It reminds me of the Studebaker children's hearse I briefly owned in the 90s.

 

 

The hearse was retrieved from Uruguay, where the hand carved body was fashioned.

[Bucketeer]

Boring words, then pictures.

 

Seconded on the backwards tractor; I'm trying to work out where the engine is, if it has one, or is it carted around by a bevy of very strong horses? I'm not sure if that's still a thing in Bulgaria but assume is was as it was still the conveyance of choice of the rag 'n bone man in Sunderland, last time I visited.

 

I'm glad it wasn't just me that was a bit confused by the tractor.

I went back yesterday to see if I could get a shot from a better angle. Not much better I'm afraid.

 

 

There's a great inspection ramp set up in the yard with the tractor. It looks like something Joe or Will might knock up.

Note the big* angry* dog keeping me from getting closer.

 

 

The only theory I have about the tractor comes from the fact that in an adjacent yard is the town's 'tourist train', where it rests up for the winter. I don't have a picture. Something like this . . . . . but much less decadent.

 

 

Anyway, the shape of the tractor is slightly steam enginey and I'm thinking maybe possibly it was the original 'train', many years ago. But probably not.

 

 

 

 

Is Veliko Tarnovo your neck of the woods, Bucketman?

 

I think I drove through there when I left Shipka.

 

That's exactly where I am Tayne. The original capital and the most historic place in Bulgaria.

I took this picture from a friend's house, just along the road from me. It's looking out from VT towards Shipka. The Shipka Pass is on the far horizon, about 40-50km away. On a clear day you can also see the Buzludzha monument (AKA The Flying Saucer) from here. Did you visit that?

Also, about half way between VT and the horizon and over to the right a bit is where my ruin is located.

 

 

 

Would you care to show us some of the furniture you make?

 

I'm probably going to start a little WOOD thread over on the other channel soon. I think there's plenty enough non-car stuff here already.

 

 

And now, some pictures.

It's just some stuff from the last few days, all within ten minutes walk, nothing much interesting.

 

Today's spots are brought to you be the letter . . . . . .

 

 

V for victory.

V for Vauxhall, the smell of win.

 

 

 

 

I love these Corsa Estates. I'd have one fitted with the 'half a V6' engine in a heartbeat.

 

 

 

 

 

This red estate is beautifully ropey. It has 'OFF ROAD' written on the bonnet with paint stripper or something but there was a guy standing just behind the stack of wood so I bottled out of picturing that. Soz.

 

 

 

 

 

Other photos what I took.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really, really like the look of the Lada 111. I only have one and a half working eyes though.

 

 

 

There are plenty of Lancia Kappas knocking around but this is the first one I have seen that is not dark blue. It does still have the lovely blue velour interior and blue tinted glass though.

 

 

 

 

 

I went past here again.

 

 

 

One of the benefits of learning Bulgarian is that I can now also read Russian. Their alphabet is the same but with two extra characters. Most of the language is very different to Bulgarian though, so reading Russian is not the same as understanding Russian. Anyway, I found myself trying to read a Russian newspaper online yesterday (as we all do) and found some interesting (to me) stuff.

 

So in the first part of a one part series, here is News From Mother Russia.

 

This was sent in to what I guess is their equivalent of the Lazy Spotters Thread.

Seen recently sporting GR88 falling tree branch protection.

 

 

 

There was a report on the latest Russian concept cars.

 

The modest Lada Xray SUVMPVLDV concept.

 

 

 

And a less modest Lada concept.

 

 

 

 

GAZ 5000GL.

 

 

 

And finally, this 'fake oil' facility was raided by police in Northern Russia.

 

.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's all for now. I need a wee.